Automatic suspension of allowance payments: Health Ministry explains new procedures
The Saudi Ministry of Health announced a new mechanism for managing financial allowances for healthcare practitioners, detailing the decision to automatically suspend allowance payments upon expiry of the professional classification card issued by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. The Ministry confirmed that this procedure is automated through electronic systems, and that reinstating payments requires the employee to submit a new electronic request via the "Mawared" self-service system.
This measure comes within the framework of the comprehensive digital transformation underway in Saudi Arabian government entities, in line with the goals of Vision 2030, which seeks to enhance government performance and automate procedures. The “Mawared” system serves as a central platform for managing employee affairs at the Ministry of Health. Linking the disbursement of allowances to the validity of professional licenses aims to strengthen governance and ensure healthcare professionals adhere to the highest standards of competence and safe professional practice. The professional classification card acts as a practice license, demonstrating the eligibility of healthcare practitioners and the need to update their knowledge and skills.
Avoid automatic suspension of allowance payments: procedures and timeline
To avoid any interruption in financial entitlements, the Ministry stressed the importance of healthcare practitioners renewing their professional classification cards well before their expiry dates. It explained that even if the card is renewed in advance, the system will automatically suspend payments upon the expiry of the old card. To reactivate payments, the employee must submit a new electronic request through the "Mawared" platform, attaching a copy of the renewed classification card. The Ministry emphasized a strict timeframe: the request must be submitted within one working day of the previous card's expiry date to ensure that entitlements are not suspended in the financial system.
The mechanism for recovering outstanding amounts and its impact on healthcare staff
In cases where a delay in submitting an application leads to the suspension of allowance payments for a specific period, the Ministry of Health clarified that processing retroactive payments and disbursing the outstanding amounts requires an additional procedure. The employee's human resources department must submit a formal and separate request to address the outstanding entitlements. This procedure reflects a shift in responsibility, as healthcare practitioners are now directly responsible for monitoring the validity of their professional licenses and submitting applications for continued allowance payments electronically, thus fostering a culture of personal follow-up and self-accountability. This regulation aims to ensure the uninterrupted flow of financial entitlements to healthcare professionals without delay, provided that the established administrative procedures and processes are strictly adhered to.
